Texting & Driving May Soon Be Illegal In Florida

Published May 3rd, 2013

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GAINESVILLE - If the bill is signed by Governor Rick Scott, Florida would be the 40th state to make texting and driving illegal. The Florida senate approved the bill 39 to 1 on Thursday. And the house approved it earlier this week. Whether the bill becomes law or not it is now all up to Governor Rick Scott.

Texting, a social norm for everyone now a days. The question lies on whether it can be done while driving. Lenora Mazon from high springs has mixed feelings about it. Mazon says she's okay with experienced driver’s texting but not with youngsters doing it. "If you are not an experienced driver, you shouldn't be able to text at all,” Mazon says. She says the ban should have an age requirement.

“Because you're not really concerned about the driving you're more concerned about the texting," she adds. However the ban in place is for all drivers.

If the governor signs the texting and driving ban into law... police can't pull you over just for texting and driving they have to have stopped you for something else first... Also known as a secondary offense.

Art forgey, Alachua County Sheriffs’ office spokesperson says that as law enforcement they applaud lawmakers efforts as they see the effects of distracted driving first hand. According to the centers for disease control, every day more than 9 people are killed and more than a thousand people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. "When you're driving there is enough distraction going on around you and enough things happening that your full attention needs to be focused on that roadway," Forgey said.

Earlier this week the house added a provision to the bill allowing police to use drivers' mobile phone records against them only if the texting causes a crash with injuries or death. That change required it to come back to the senate. State senator and sponsor of the bill, Nancy Detert is just glad to the ban was approved. "I think it's a statesman thing to do to accept the amendment. Pass the law and that way you either have a law against texting or you don't and now we have one," Detert said.

If you can't keep yourself from texting while driving, there are smartphone apps that can help you break that habit such as: